Refrigeration



May 15, 1934. w. R, HAINSWORTH REFRIGERATION Filed June 7, 1933INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATIONApplication June 7, 1933, Serial No. 674,627

Claims.

This invention relates to a cooling element for a system which producesrefrigeration by the evaporation of liquid cooling fluid by diffusioninto an auxiliary pressure equalizing gas and 5 more particularly to acooling element generally of the type disclosed in an application byAlbert R. Thomas, Serial No. 645,432. I

The cooling element disclosed in said applica tion is of the coil typehaving a portion defining a low temperature chamber for freezing icecubes and the like and a portion thereabove at a higher temperatureadapted for cooling air in the storage compartment of a refrigerator.Liquid refrigerant is admitted at the upper end of the coil and flows ina continuously downward path through the coil evaporating by diffusioninto an auxiliary gas which is circulated upwardly through the coil, thetwo-temperature effect being obtained due to the greater partialpressure of refrigerant vapor in the gas in the upper part of the coil.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided atwo-temperature cooling element of the coil type having the highertemperature portion uppermost in which the liquid refrigerant andauxiliary gas flow in the same direction through the coil.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,in

which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cooling element embodying theinvention; and

Fig. 2, a front end view of the cooling element shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, a tray receptacle 10 open at the front end andhaving tray supports or shelves 11 is formed by an integral casting ofgood thermal conductive material such as alumi- 40 num. Around theclosed sides of the receptacle 10 is a pipe coil 12 comprising aplurality of substantially horizontal superposed U-shaped turns betweenwhich are vertical reversed turns on each side of the receptacle. Asbest shown in Fig. 2

the coil 12 has a continuously downward slant such that liquid coolingfluid introduced at the upper end of the coil will have a continuouslydownward path of flow therethrough.

The lower end of the coil 12 is connected through an extension 13 to theupper end of a closed tube 14 which extends rearwardly with a slightlydownward slant from above the front end of the receptacle 10. Theexterior of the tube 14 is provided with a plurality of heat transferfins 15 and preferably the inner surface of both tube 14 and coil 20 islined with capillary material such as steel mesh for retaining liquidrefrigerant with an'extensive surface presented to the auxiliary gas asfully set forth in the above mentioned application of A. R. Thomas.

Inoperation, inert gas such as hydrogen is circulated downwardly throughcoil 12, through extension 13, and downwardly through tube 14 from asuitable refrigeration system, connections to which are made by theupper end 16 of 65 the coil 12 and conduit 17 from the lower end of thetube 14. Liquid cooling fluid such as ammonia is introduced into theupper end of tube 14 through a conduit 18 and flows downwardly throughtube 14, liquid drain connections 19, and coil 12 due to thecontinuously downward slant of the tube and coil described above, andevaporates by diffusion into the hydrogen. A conduit 20 from the lowerend of the coil 12 is provided for draining unevaporated liquid back tothe refrigeration system.

In the cooling unit described above the hydrogen and ammonia flow in thesame direction through both the tube 14 and coil 12. However, due to thelower partial pressure of ammonia va- 0 por in coil 12 than in tube 14evaporation in the latter occurs at a higher temperature than in thecoil wherefore freezing of ice cubes and the like may be accomplishedrapidly at a low temperature by heat transfer to the coil, and air inthe 5 refrigerator storage compartment cooled by passage over theextensive surfaces of the tube 14 which are at a temperature abovefreezing. The finned tube 14 is the highest part' of the coil and maytherefore be located in the uppermost part of the storage compartmentwhere accumulates the warmest air, cooling of which is accomplishedwithout the usual formation of frost due to the above-freezingtemperature of the cooling surface.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various otherchanges may be made in the construction and arrangement withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and therefore the inventionis not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in thespecification but only as indicated in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cooling element comprising, a pipe coil adapted for downwardcirculation of inert gas and continuously downward flow of liquidtherethrough, a conduit above said coil also adapted forcirculation ofgas and continuously downward flow of: liquid therethrough, the lowerend of said coil being connected to the upper end the lower end of saidconduit to the upper end of said coil, and a connection for supply ofliquid cooling fluid to the upper end of said conduit.

2. A cooling element comprising, a first conduit adapted for downwardcirculation of inert gas and continuously downward flow of liquidtherethrough, a second similar conduit above said first conduit havingextensive heat transfer surfaces, the lower end of said first conduitbeing connected to the upper end of said second conduit for circulationof gas therethrough in series, a liquid drain connection from the lowerend of said second conduit to the upper end of said first conduit, and aconnection for supply of liquid cooling fluid to the upper end of saidsecond conduit.

3. A cooling element comprising, a pipe coil adapted for downwardcirculation of inert gas and continuously downward flow of liquidtherethrough, a heat conducting support for objects to be cooled inthermal conductive relation with said coil, a conduit above said coilprovided with extensive heat transfer surfaces and also adapted fordownward circulation of inert gas and continuously downward flow ofliquid therethrough, the lower end of said coil being connected to theupper end of said conduit for circulation of gas therethrough in seriesrespectively, and a connection for supplying liquid cooling fluid to theupper end of said conduit.

4. A cooling element comprising, a pipe coil having upper and lowersections both adapted for downward flow of inert gas and continuouslydownward fiow of liquid therethrough, the lower end of the lower coilsection being connected to the upper end of the upper coil section forcirculation of gas therethrough in series, a connection for liquid fromthe lower end of said upper coil section to the upper end of said lowercoil section, and a connection for supplying liquid cooling fluid to theupper end of said upper section.

5. A cooling element comprising, a coil having upper and lower sectionsboth adapted for downward circulation of inert gas and continuouslydownward flow of liquid-therethrough, said upper coil section havingextensive heat transfer surfaces, a heat conducting support for objectsto be cooled in thermal conductive relation with the lower coil section,the lower end of said lower coil section being connected to the upperend of said upper coil section for circulation of gas therethrough inseries respectively, a connection for liquid from the lower end of saidupper coil section to the upper end of said lower coil section, and aconnection for supply of liquid cooling fluid to the upper end of saidupper coil section.

WILLIAM R. HAINSWORTH.

